College students share food, faith on New Year’s Eve

More than 800 college students fanned out across metro Atlanta Tuesday, offering bags of food and a religious message.

The community outreach project was part of the annual conference of the Impact Movement, a national organization of mainly African-American Christian college students. The organization has chapters on more than 100 campuses nationwide, including Georgia State and Kennesaw State universities.

Each year during its convention the organization works with area churches to hold a day of service. This year it partnered with the Fountain of Hope nonprofit organization and food bank in Atlanta and more than a dozen churches to reach people in depressed areas.

In addition to the food, the students are trained to engage area residents in a brief conversation about religion and their beliefs.

Tuesday’s outreach was the first for Duluth native Chelsea Sharpe, 20. The Rice University student said she was hoping to return to school after the conference with a broader understanding of living a godly lifestyle.

“I’m hoping to tell people that Christianity is more about the relationship (with God) and less about the ritual,” Louisiana State University student Dasjon Jordan, 21, said while knocking on doors in an area off Boulevard in Atlanta.

To break the ice, students were instructed to ask questions about and discuss the shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. Some residents were receptive Tuesday; others took the food, offered thanks, but wouldn’t talk more about faith and religion.